Anonymous $100,000 Donation to Middle School Music Inspired by Mount Douglas Secondary Students鈥� Fundraiser
An anonymous donor has gifted $100,000 to support middle school music programs in the Greater Victoria School District. The donor was inspired by the actions taken by three students from Mount Douglas Secondary who began a fundraiser to support middle school music after attending the district鈥檚 March 30 public budget meeting.
鈥淭hank you to the SD61 students who have been so engaged throughout the budget process, especially the students from Mount Douglas Secondary who have channeled their engagement into action,鈥� says Sherri Bell, Official Trustee. 鈥淭heir leadership has inspired our community and we are grateful for their efforts.鈥�
The three students, Mudita Shikhare, Jeff Zhang, and Zak Kyriacou, raised $31,050 in less than seven days to support staffing for middle school music programs for the 2026-2027 school year.
The additional support of $100,000 is from the NRS Foundation, a donor advised fund held at the Victoria Foundation.
鈥淭hank you to the generous anonymous donor for supporting our school district during a time when districts across the province are having to make big budget decisions,鈥� says Sherri Bell, Official Trustee. 鈥淥ne of the reasons why our middle school music programs has been considered a gem is because we have consistently supported it with over $1 million every year. In order to create a sustainable model moving forward, there will need to be conversations about how we can support such a beneficial program while ensuring it doesn鈥檛 continue to be a topic regarding reductions during the budget process each year.鈥�
Communications
Greater Victoria School District
community@sd61.bc.ca